Raf Simons

"I don't want to show clothes, I want to show my attitude, my past, present and future. I use memories and future visions and try to place them in today's world." - Raf Simons

Although Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons may not be all that well-known to the average consumer, he's worshipped by fashion industry insiders and considered by many in the business to be the top menswear designer working today. A decade after launching his eponymous label in 1995, he was named creative director for the Jil Sander brand in 2005. His other label is Raf by Raf Simons.

MAGNETISM

Considering that he's a bit on the shy side, both in terms of avoiding media exposure and his reluctance to appear on stage at the end of one of his collection showings, there aren't many images of Raf Simons out there. He's said to not like having his photo taken for publications, so of the couple of images of him that we have to go on, he could be described as being a slim, average-looking, Northern European guy. Raf Simons' fixation for youth culture, which remains one of the major influences on his work, helps keep him and his designs vibrant and hip. He'd make a great companion for ladies who go for artsy, intellectual types, not to mention all the free designer clothes they'd probably get out of the deal.

SUCCESS

The name Raf Simons isn't nearly as recognizable as Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gaultier or John Galliano, but that doesn't mean Raf Simons hasn't made his mark in the world of fashion. Achieving a certain level of commercial success takes a backseat to moving fashion forward when it comes down to his vision for the labels he directs, and that's been the main reason for Raf Simons' godlike stature within the fashion community.

His early collections for his eponymous label found a niche market of young European hipsters, but more importantly, influenced other brands' more mainstream designs. He's also responsible for having saved the Jil Sander mark, and his collections for that label have served as inspiration for other womenswear marks. In 2004, Raf Simons won the Swiss Textiles Award at the Gwand Fashion Festival. His highly influential vision might be best summed up by stylist/editor Marie-Amélie Sauve, who, in a 2005 New York Times Magazine piece, commented, "He did everything before anyone else, and everybody has copied him."

Raf Simons Biography

Raf Simons was born on January 12, 1968, in Neerpelt, Belgium. While growing up in the small Flemish village near the German border, music became his main means of escape from what he perceived as a world devoid of arts and culture. Artists such as David Bowie, as well as bands like Kraftwerk and Joy Division, were among his favorites. Their music would later help inspire elements of Raf Simons' creative vision as a designer.

raf simons studies industrial design

Following high school, Raf Simons enrolled in the industrial design program at a college in the town of Genk. Midway into his five-year program, he became interested in clothing design after several Belgian designers, known collectively as the Antwerp Six, started making waves in the world of fashion. Among their ranks were Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck. Raf Simons managed to secure an internship with Van Beirendonck, thanks in part to the help of the Antwerp Fashion Academy's director at the time, Linda Loppa. After receiving his degree, he worked as a furniture designer for a short while before embarking upon a career in fashion.

In January 1995, Raf Simons launched his first menswear collection at the Danielli Ghiselli showroom in Milan. He relocated to Paris after only one season in Italy, where he presented his next three collections in private art galleries or photo studios. He quickly became known for his unconventional approach to showing his work, as well as for his use of non-professional models that he encounters in the streets of Antwerp. His first real "fashion show" for his Fall/Winter 1997-'98 collection was held in Paris in January 1997.

raf simons at jil sander

In the summer of 2005, Raf Simons was named the new creative director of the Jil Sander label, which was owned by the Prada Group at the time. The following year, the brand was sold to a private equity group in London. His first collection for the label was launched for the Fall/Winter 2006 season. Thanks to the Belgian designer's unique, modernist vision, the newly revamped Jil Sander mark quickly became a favorite among top-industry buyers and fashion magazine editors.

Raf by Raf Simons, a menswear line, was also initiated for 2006's Fall/Winter season. Like his Jil Sander designs, his debut collection for that label was hailed as one the best of the season. In 2008, he launched a small collection of knitwear and polo shirts that were done in collaboration with Fred Perry. He was also nominated for AM's Top 49 Men of 2008. Vote for him here.